Issue - meetings

TheEducationand YoungPeople’sServicesCabinet Committeeis asked to note and endorse or make a recommendation to the Cabinet Member on the proposed decision to approvethe revised strategy towardsachieving thenew prioritiesand  new keyperformance indicatorsofthe14 – 24 Learning,Employmentand Skills Strategyfrom2017to 2020.

1.    Mr Gough reported on the Revised 14 - 24 Learning, Employment and Skills Strategy confirming the 4 key areas of focus: raising attainment, boosting technical education and apprenticeships, increasing participation and employment and supporting vulnerable learners. Mr Leeson discussed the redesign of the Education and Skills landscape in Kent and said this would create much more organised, coherent, technical and vocational offers for children and young people and provide the curriculum pathways and opportunities for new qualifications to become more available to young people. Significant progress had already been made and apprenticeships in Kent were expanding. The number of young people who are NEET in Kent had gone down to 2.9% from 5-6%, but there were still challenges providing the right level of courses and qualification routes for young people who had lower starting points at the age of 16.

2.    Sue Dunn, Head of Skills and Employability commented on the work evidenced as ‘good practice’ in terms of providing pathways for young people. Young people in schools now have the opportunity of an academic or technical pathway, and also a pathway into employment. A number of schools working with vulnerable young people were offered a very focused and targeted programme to provide the young people with basic skills in English and Maths and to get the young people into employment and training. Around 500 young people have applied for apprenticeships within the last 6 months through the ‘Made In Kent’ campaign, digital communication and social media contributed to its success. The target of over 3,000 16 to 18 year olds taking apprenticeships was exceeded last year. The main priority was to make sure that vulnerable young people had the opportunity to move into sustained employment opportunities.  A supported internship programme has been introduced this year and 90% of the young people involved in the programme are now either in full employment or have gone into a college programme.

a)    In response to a query relating to the high number of young people out of employment, Mr Leeson said the work of the Virtual Schools Kent that takes place in schools and colleges and with the Skills and Employability team had been co-ordinated more effectively in order to ensure that children in care were fully supported and did not end up becoming NEET. The numbers have been significantly high but have recently dropped. The main priority is to make sure that the right courses and support are available for the young people.

3. RESOLVED – That the proposed decision of the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform be endorsed:

(i) Toapprove the revisedstrategy towards achievingthe newpriorities and  new key performance indicatorsofthe14 – 24 Learning,Employmentand Skills Strategyfrom 2017 to2020 be endorsed.